Beyond A Sky So Blue
by Allura99
Summary: Takes place immediately after the last episode. Vash has returned with his brother. Can he help Knives see the good side of humanity? Or has he placed the girls in more danger?
1. Part 1: Homecoming

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own _Trigun_. That honors goes to other people. I'm just borrowing the characters for my story. Please don't sue. 

Author's Note: This story takes place immediately after the final episode, "Under A Sky So Blue." If you haven't seen a lot of the series, well, 1) you should because it's really good and 2) some things in the story may not make sense. :) Enjoy.

* * *

Part 1: Homecoming

"All of life's journeys come with meetings, partings, and reunions." --Meryl Stryfe

"Oh, look, Meryl, he's back!" Milly squealed.

Meryl turned, following Milly's gaze. Her heart stopped when her eyes fell on the tall figure in the distance. The red coat was gone but she knew it was him.

"Vash," she whispered.

Before she knew what she was doing, she was running towards him. Milly was right behind her. His goofy grin was a welcomed sight.

"Hey, girls!"

"Mr. Vash, you're alive!" Milly cried.

"Yeah," he replied with a chuckle, "isn't that something?"

"And this must be your brother."

Milly's comment drew Meryl's attention to the figure draped over Vash's shoulder. He was tall, probably matching his twin in height. His hair was spiky but shorter and a darker shade of blonde compared to Vash.

He had numerous bandages wrapped around his body, indicating the lengths that Vash had to go through to win the battle. How Vash had kept the bandages clean in the desert she would never know. She turned her attention to the Human Typhoon himself.

"Oh, Vash, you're hurt," she murmured, eying his wounded shoulder.

He shifted the dead weight of his brother as he looked down at her. "It's nothing, really," he said.

"Nothing?" she repeated. "Nothing! You've been shot, you idiot!"

"Yeah, I know," he replied quickly, trying to step back from the now angry woman in front of him.

Meryl grabbed an edge of his body armor, preventing his retreat. "How is it that you take care of his wounds but don't even bother to bandage your own?"

"Well, he was hurt more than I was." Vash's voice was now rising to a whining pitch.

"Oh, you infuriating broomhead!" She whirled on her heel, never letting go of him. "Come on."

"Where're we going?" He stumbled slightly as Meryl pulled him behind her.

"To bandage your wound. Now."

Vash suddenly felt Knives lifted from his shoulder. He turned to meet Milly's smiling face. She had the Plant over her shoulder like he weighed nothing, which he knew painfully was a lie.

"Don't worry, Mr. Vash, I've got him. You go get your wound fixed. I'll take of your brother."

"Milly, are you sure?" he asked. He eyed the tall insurance girl carefully. This was the man who orchestrated the death of Nicholas after all.

"I'm sure," she replied with a wide, innocent smile. "We'll be right behind you."

"Come on, Vash," Meryl said with a tug on his shirt, "quit stalling."

"All right, all right."

"Finally," Meryl muttered.

She continued her grumblings in a low, angry voice as she dragged the lanky gunman through town. She was oblivious to the bystanders' shocked or amused gazes. Vash was only able to give a shrug or a nervous smile as he met the stares.

Maybe he had been safer in the desert with his homicidal brother after all.

* * *

Vash managed only glances as Meryl dragged him through the house. He hadn't expected many changes in his relatively short absence. Those he did find were an occasional additional piece of furniture or a new homey touch.

'Appears the insurance girls are settling in,' he mused.

Meryl stopped once they entered the kitchen. She ordered Vash to sit in a chair while she retrieved the needed supplies. Shaking his head, he complied.

He immediately noticed that the bed he had recovered in was gone from the room. He was glad. He could do without the remainder of the state he was in before he faced Knives. He didn't doubt that the girls felt the same way.

The short girl returned with an armful of supplies. Vash watched her as she arranged things on the table. She was methodical as always.

"Take off your shirt."

"Here? In the kitchen?" He raised his eyes to meet hers. "What kind of girl are you?"

She stared at him, momentarily speechless. Then, her face immediately flushed crimson. She sputtered in fury before whacking him upside the head.

"Ow!" he protested, clutching his bruised skull. "It was just a joke!"

"You're not funny. Now, please, take off your shirt so we can get this over with."

Vash bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying something else. There were just too many possibilities. As fun as it was to tease Meryl Strife, his head was aching enough as is.

He got the body armor off with help from Meryl so he wouldn't aggravate his injured shoulder. She turned her back to get some water while he worked on the shirt. Part of it stuck to his skin. With a grimace, he ripped it off.

Once the offending garment was off, Meryl set to work. With gentle hands, she cleaned the wound. She probed it for any sign of infection and was glad to find none. She then began to dress it, wrapping his shoulder with practiced ease.

"Okay, we're here!" Milly bellowed.

"We're in the kitchen," Meryl called in reply.

Moments later, Milly appeared, Knives still over her shoulder. "Where should we put him?"

"Put him in the spare room upstairs," Meryl said after a moment's pause.

"Okay, Meryl."

The short insurance girl finished her bandaging in quick order. "You heal pretty quickly but I should still take a look at it tomorrow. Just don't try to aggravate it."

"Okay."

She quickly gathered the supplies back up again. "I'm going to go check your brother now. Milly should be able to find you some clean clothes."

"Meryl."

She stopped, slowing meeting his eyes. "Yes?"

"Thank you."

She matched his smile. "You're welcome."

She turned and headed to the stairs. Once she got there, she paused. "Welcome home, Vash."

He whirled to say something, only to see that she was already up the stairs. With a quiet sigh, he settled back in the chair. It wasn't quite the welcome he expected.

But it would do.


	2. Part 2: My Brother's Keeper

Part 2: My Brother's Keeper

Milly, indeed, was able to find him some clean clothes. He took a quick bath, careful not to wet his new bandages. Once he was dressed, he quickly went to see how Meryl was faring with his brother.

She was struggling. She had managed to change a few of the more peripheral bandages. But she was having difficulty holding the dead weight of his brother up and wrapping new gauze around his shoulder at the same time.

"Need some help?"

Meryl nearly dropped Knives in her fright. Vash was really glad that his twin was unconscious. He rushed forward and held his brother up so Meryl could resume her bandaging.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack, you know," she said, keeping her eyes focused on her work.

"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to see if you needed some help. That's all."

"I'm glad you did. I don't think I could have done this by myself." She briefly met his eyes with a faint smile. "Your brother's deceptively heavy."

Vash marveled at her as she moved on to the next wound. Did Meryl Strife just admit that she needed help? Wait! Did she just admit that she needed his help?

He glanced out the window to see if snow was falling on Gunsmoke. He also looked for airborne mammals of the porcine variety just in case. Seeing neither, he wondered if he had just made the conversation up in his head.

Meryl seemed oblivious to all this. She quickly had the shoulder and torso wounds redressed with the bandages neatly secured. She paused to view her handiwork with a pleased smile.

"Well, that should do it," she said, turning to Vash. "I'll probably need some help when I check them tomorrow."

Vash risked another glance at the window.

"What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking for snow."

"Huh?"

He realized that he had answered her question out loud. "Uh, nothing."

She studied him for a moment, then shook her head. Muttering about "one blow too many to the head", she began to gather up her supplies. She stated she was starting dinner as she left the room.

He listened as her footsteps faded away. She would never cease to amaze him. Why a girl like that continued to associate with him he would never understand.

But he was grateful. Grateful to have Meryl and Milly both with him. He didn't deserve to have such good friends.

Would the girls be enough to help Knives begin to see the good side of humanity?

He turned his attention to his brother, watching him as he rested. He looked so peaceful as he lied there. Yet, he carried so much hate and violence within him. Could Knives ever see humans as more than inferior beings? Vash certainly hoped so.

But Vash had to be a realist as well. By returning to Milly and Meryl with his brother, he may have placed them in danger. Not only was Vash the Stampede still feared but now there was the very present and possible threat of Knives in the house. He could never forgive himself if one of the girls got hurt.

What would he do if Knives threatened the girls?

The thought gave him pause. His thoughts drifted to Meryl, who was downstairs making dinner. He shook his head to clear the thoughts away.

He would have to pack and leave. He would have no choice. He couldn't let the girls get hurt.

But how could he keep the girls from following them? Could he convince them it was for their own safety? How could he explain and make them understand?

'Vash, take care of Knives.'

'I'm trying, Rem,' he thought as he pulled the blanket higher on his brother's chest. 'I'm really trying.'

He suddenly felt weary. The strain of the past few days had finally caught up with him. With a sigh, he pulled his chair closer to the wall and leaned against.

'I hope Meryl finishes dinner soon.' With that final thought, he surrendered to sleep.

* * *

"Vash?" a soft voice called.

He opened his eyes, momentarily disoriented. He noted Knives was still unconscious in the bed before turning to the person gently shaking his arm. He smiled when he saw it was Meryl.

"Hey," he mumbled in greeting.

"Hey," she returned, matching his smile. "I've brought you up some food. I didn't know if you wanted to stay or not."

He glanced back at his brother. "I think I should."

"You'll probably want to stay in here tonight, too. I'll find a cot and bring it in here."

"Thanks, Meryl. I really appreciate this."

"It's no problem," she said quietly. She seemed to suddenly realize that she was still touching his arm. She pulled it back quickly. "Well, you should eat before your food gets cold. The dishes can wait until the morning."

She quickly retreated to the door. "Milly and I are just down the hall if you need anything. Good night, Vash."

"Good night, Meryl." However, he doubted she heard him during her hasty departure.

"Well, brother, it's just you and me," Vash said. "Too bad you asleep and can't enjoy this great food. Guess that just leaves more for me."

Chuckling at his own joke, he dug into the food.


	3. Part 3: Moments

Part 3: Moments

Vash joined the girls for breakfast the next morning. Meryl had made pancakes and was bringing a large pot of coffee to the table. His rumbling stomach announced his presence.

"Good morning, Vash!" Milly greeted, waving her pancake-laden fork.

"Yes, good morning," Meryl echoed.

"These are good, Meryl," Milly announced with a mouth full of pancakes.

Meryl shook her head at her partner's antics but was smiling. She sat down and drank her coffee, watching Vash and Milly stuff their faces. Was this what normalcy felt like?

Milly quickly polished off her plate of pancakes. She thanked Meryl and deposited her dishes in the sink. Meryl reminded Milly she was responsible for dinner that night. With a cheery "okay", the tall girl left for work.

That left Meryl and Vash alone in the kitchen. She suddenly found herself very interested in her coffee. The silence was deafening.

After all the time she had spent chasing him, she finally had him. He was there, sitting there across from her. Yet, for the life of her, she couldn't think of a thing to say.

Finally, her pragmatic side availed. If she didn't do it now, she wouldn't have time for it later. "If you are done eating, I should take a look at your wound."

Vash agreed. It was quick work for him to take off his sleep shirt while Meryl gathered the supplies. She was glad that he made no effort to hide his scars from her.

She was methodical as she examined his shoulder. The wound was almost closed. It probably wouldn't leave much of a scar. "You won't even need bandages tomorrow."

"Well, that's good news."

She nodded. "We should go change Knives' bandages."

"Don't worry about it. I can do it later."

She eyed him carefully. "Are you sure?"

"I did manage in the desert. It'll be fine."

"Okay, but you better not forget, Vash."

"I won't, I won't!" he declared, drawing an elaborate X over his heart with a finger. "I promise."

She retreated to the sink so he wouldn't see her smile at his foolishness. She then noted the time. She would have to get ready for work soon but she was reluctant to leave. She sighed as she began to wash dishes.

"I'll get those."

His quiet voice startled her. She was so intent on the dishes that she didn't notice he had crossed the room. "Huh?"

"I said I'll get those. The dishes."

"Oh," she said quietly. "I'm almost done."

"I want to help around here. I didn't come back to freeload, you know."

She looked up at him sharply, surprised by the comment, especially from him. "I know that."

The clock chimed, reminding her of the time. She would have to rush to get to work on time now. She quickly dried her hands and turned to face him.

"Look, Vash, you need to focus on getting your brother well. Seeing how fast you heal, he won't be unconscious for long. And it would be best for you to handle him, given how he feels about humans in general. Milly and I can handle the rest."

She suddenly found herself in his hug. He was holding her so tight that it was almost difficult to breath. "You're the best, Meryl," he whispered.

She was stunned. What did she do that was so wonderful? Why did he always have to confuse her?

"I've got to go," she declared, pulling away. She could feel her face glowing but prayed it didn't show. "I've got to get ready for work."

She was up the stairs before Vash could reply. He finished the rest of the dishes, trying not to dwell on Meryl's behavior. He was about to head upstairs when Meryl re-entered the room.

She was putting on her cloak. It was obvious she was doing it as fast as possible. But it didn't stop Vash from getting an eyeful.

She was dressed in a short black dress with a white apron. Her pale legs were bare, as well as her throat and most of her arms. It was the most of Meryl's skin he had ever seen.

And it was perfect.

He caught himself almost drooling and quickly stopped. This was Meryl after all. His head would be pounding for days if she caught him eyeing her this way.

"Well, I'm off to work," she said over her shoulder. "Milly's in charge of dinner, but you'll be on your own for lunch. I'll see you later."

"Yeah, later," he called as she headed out the door. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. Why did that girl always have to confuse him?

He was still trying to banish the image of Meryl from his mind as he climbed the stairs to tend to his brother.

* * *

Milly arrived home early that afternoon. She asked Vash about his brother only to learn there was no change. The tall girl then left Vash to put up the groceries while she took a quick shower. 

She quickly returned and drafted him into helping with dinner. Milly filled him in on her work on the well and on the new irrigation system. Once that topic was exhausted, she told him about all the goings-on in town.

They finished the meal. Just in time since both their stomachs were growling. Milly set the table while Vash brought over the food.

He frowned when he only noticed the two places. "What about Meryl?"

"She's not going to home anytime soon," Milly answered, "since she is working a double shift. She won't get off until hours from now. Didn't she tell you?"

"No, she didn't." He wondered why he felt so annoyed. He brushed the thought aside and dug into the food. "Hey, Milly, this is really good."

"Thanks," she said with a beaming smile. "It's my middle big sister's recipe."

"So, what's in it?"

"Can't tell you. It's a family secret."

He thought about his still-unconscious brother upstairs. "Yeah, can't mess with those."

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure Knives will be better soon."

Milly had always been perceptive. She was far more perceptive than people gave her credit for. He wasn't surprised that she had guessed the line of his thinking.

"I'm sure he will be, too." He turned the conversation to happier topics. He was quickly caught up on the latest news from Milly's family.

The tall girl volunteered to do the dishes so Vash could go look in on Knives. She promised to fix a plate for Meryl. They both went off to their respective tasks.

* * *

It was Milly who suggested that he escort Meryl home from work. An off-hand remark about the men harassing Meryl cinched it. Milly promised to keep a good eye on Knives as she waved him off. 

He quickly made his way to the restaurant. Due to the late hour, the town was quite. He noted the cool breeze coming from the surrounding desert and he was glad that Meryl would have her cloak with her.

It was about fifteen minutes before closing time and the end of Meryl's shift when he arrived. There was a larger crowd than he would have anticipated. The bartender was asking for last calls as Vash sat down.

Vash quickly ordered a drink. He sipped it as his eyes roamed the room. He quickly spotted Meryl.

She was clearing plates from a table. The two male patrons were chatting with her. They laughed at some joke but Meryl barely smiled. One of the men addressed her, running his hand up the back of her legs.

Vash was off his stool to cross the room when a resounding smack echoed in the room. He sat back down with a grin. Meryl tucked the now bent tray under her arm, yelling at the man before stalking with the armful of plates.

The restaurant began to clear out. Meryl finally noticed him at the bar but kept working. The bartender ordered him out with the last of the patrons. Rather than argue, he went outside to wait.

A few minutes later, Meryl emerged, covered in her cloak. She seemed surprised to find Vash by the door. She gave a greeting and began walking. The lanky gunman fell in step with her.

"So, how was your day?" he asked.

"Fine. Long, but fine."

"Do you work such shifts often?"

"No. One of the other waitresses went to see her newborn nephew. I'm covering for her for the next few days."

They walked for a bit in silence. The journey back was taking longer, but Vash let Meryl set the pace. He knew that she had to be tired.

"So, do you have to do that a lot?"

"Work? Yeah, generally," she replied, giving him an odd look.

"No, hit guys with your tray."

"Just when they get rude."

He didn't press the matter further.

"So, what are you doing here?"

"Walking. You?" he said, repaying her for her earlier remark.

She actually smiled. "I just meant I thought you would be with Knives."

"Well, Milly thought I should get out of the house for a while. She said she'd keep an eye on Knives while I was out."

"Well, that's Milly for you." She was quiet for a moment before saying, "You didn't have to walk me home, Vash."

"Yeah, I know, but I wanted to."

They fell into an uneasy silence. The house was soon before them. Seeing them, Milly bounded off the porch.

"Milly, is there something wrong?" Meryl asked.

"Knives is awake."


	4. Part 4: Conversations

Part 4: Conversations

"Knives is awake," Milly announced.

"For how long?" Meryl asked, a myriad of thoughts racing through her mind.

She risked a glance at Vash. Her heart fell as she noted his suddenly somber face. All traces of good-natured humor were gone.

"He just woke up," Milly replied. "Maybe five minutes ago. He ordered me out of his room, so I came out here to wait for you two."

Without a word, Vash brushed past her. He practically barreled past Milly to enter the house. The two insurance girls quickly followed.

Vash didn't pause as he raced up the stairs. Meryl made a move to follow, but Milly held her back. Meryl gave her partner a questioning look.

"I think they need to be alone right now," Milly stated.

For a moment, Milly thought that she was going to argue. But with a reluctant nod, Meryl took off her cloak and hung it up. She sat down at the kitchen table. Milly offered to heat up her plate. Meryl thanked her but declined.

"I wonder what they are talking about," Meryl murmured.

"I don't know. I guess they would have a lot to talk about, considering everything that has happened between them." Milly glanced at the clock.

Meryl caught the other woman's look. "I don't think we should wait too long. We both have work tomorrow."

Milly nodded. Her eyes drifted to wear Meryl's cloak was hanging. A realization suddenly flared to life in her head.

"Milly? Milly?"

"Sorry, Meryl, I must have zoned out," Milly said with a chuckle. "What were you saying?"

Meryl gave a tired smile and shook her head. "Nothing, really."

"When does Anne get back from visiting her nephew?"

"Day after tomorrow, thank goodness. Doris is coming in to help a couple of hours before closing so I should be home earlier tomorrow."

"You've been working awfully hard, Meryl."

"It hasn't been that bad. Besides, we can use the extra money. Who knows when the next check from Bernadelli will arrive? Plus, there are two more mouths to feed."

Seeing the extra worry on Milly's face, Meryl sighed. "Don't pay attention to me, Milly. We're doing fine. I'm just tired and would really like to go to bed."

"Well, I don't that they're be done talking any time soon. No use in waiting up for them, Meryl. You head on to bed."

Amused to be ordered about by such an unusual source, Meryl complied. Saying a quick goodnight, she made her way upstairs. Milly watched her go before returning to her thoughts.

Vash could tell that his brother was definitely among the conscious again. If he hadn't been paying so much attention to Meryl, he probably would have known before Milly made her announcement. Knives' anger was coming through loud and clear.

"How dare you! You left me here with that spider!" Knives roared as soon as Vash opened the door.

Vash quickly closed the door behind him, hoping that neither Milly nor Meryl had heard the outburst.

"At the mercy of that inferior creature! Disgusting! Humiliating beyond belief!"

"Keep your voice down," Vash ordered.

"To try to spare the spider's feelings," his brother sneered. "How noble."

"That woman," Vash said, emphasizing the word, "has been helping take care of you. Even after all the pain you caused her, she still willingly helps you."

"Humans are so weak."

"She's not the weak one," Vash murmured. The tall girl had been through so much, and Knives had been the cause of most of it. Yet, she had helped with his brother's care. You had to admire such strength.

Knives went pale and was momentarily speechless. Vash was insulting him? Gloating that he had gained the upper hand?

"You were lucky in the desert," Knives growled. "If weren't for that buried gun of that fool Wolfwood, it would be you lying here and not me."

"Is that why you are mad, brother?" Vash asked quietly. "That I won?"

"You haven't won yet, Vash," Knives growled.

Vash sighed as he slumped against the door. "Why do we have to keep fighting each other? When can we live in peace?"

"When you listen to reason."

The brothers locked eyes, staring each other down. Knives tried again and again to probe his brother's mind. But Vash's shield held.

Time ticked on as neither gaze wavered. Sweat beaded on Knives' forehead from the strain. With an explosive breath, he collapsed against his pillow.

"I'm tired of fighting you, Knives," Vash confessed, a bit winded himself. "I'm not asking for a miracle. I'm just asking for you to give them a chance. A real, honest chance."

Knives didn't say anything. Vash took that as a sign for hope. With a sigh, he pushed himself off the door.

"I'm going downstairs to grab you something to eat."

"Don't bother," Knives grumbled as Vash opened the door.

"You need to keep up your strength."

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, just in case you change your mind." Vash shut the down behind him before Knives could protest further.

* * *

"Milly, what are you doing still up?"

The tall girl jerked in surprise. She smiled when she realized that it was Vash. "Oh, nothing, really. How's Knives? Did you guys have a good talk?"

"I guess you can say that," Vash replied, making his way further into the kitchen. "Do we have anything that can serve as a snack?"

"Meryl's plate is still in there. She's not hungry, so you can have it."

"It's for Knives." He paused as he once had located the plate in question. "Meryl didn't eat?"

"She said that she just wanted to go to bed. I'm sure she ate while at work."

Vash didn't look convinced but did not pursue it further. "I'd better take this back upstairs. Good night, Milly."

"Night."

Milly quickly tried to think out everything she needed to do. The only question was if she could hide it from Meryl and Vash. She sure hoped she could.


	5. Part 5: Weary

Part 5: Weary

Meryl was still trying to wake up as she made her way downstairs to the kitchen. Usually a shower was enough to get her going. This morning was going to require more.

She stopped when she entered the kitchen. Vash was stirring something on the stove. Was he actually wearing an apron?

"Hungry?" Vash asked, not turning from the stove.

"Um, sure," Meryl replied, taking a seat at the table. "Where's Milly?"

"She left pretty early for work. She said that she might be dark or later getting back. The foreman has some new project he wants her to work on."

"Funny, she didn't say anything last night about it."

"Well, we did have some excitement last night." Vash tried to keep his tone light, but he failed. Meryl could hear the weariness in his voice.

"That we did," she murmured.

Vash ventured from the stove to spoon eggs unto her plate. Meryl thanked him as she helped herself to toast and coffee. Vash merely smiled and served his own plate.

"How is your brother?" Meryl asked, once Vash was seated.

"Feeling well enough to start complaining. He should be up and about in a few days."

"That's good news," Meryl replied. However, she wondered if it really was good to have a homicidal Plant able to wander around in a house shared with humans. The house's too small to avoid each other completely.

Vash saw her thoughtful frown. He didn't have to read her mind to know what was going through it. Like Meryl, he wondered what Knives would do when he was able to get around the house.

He wanted to tell her that he would protect her. Her and Milly. But how could he make a promise if he had no way of keeping it?

"Food's good," Meryl said, desperately for way to break the silence. "I didn't know you can cook."

Vash chuckled. "If you've been around as long as I have, you picked things along the way. I'm not a great cook, but I can manage in the kitchen."

"So I can trust you to fix food for Knives and yourself while Milly and I are out?"

"Yes, Meryl, we'll be fine."

She glanced at the time. "Oh, I'm going to be late for work."

She quickly downed the rest of her coffee. She made an effort to clean the table, but Vash told her not to bother. With a quick thanks, she dashed upstairs.

Vash fixed a plate for Knives. He would do the dishes later. He didn't want to risk another encounter with Meryl in that lovely waitress uniform.

* * *

"Good morning, Knives," Vash greeted as he balanced the food-laden tray so he could close the door. "Hope you're hungry."

Knives merely glared before rolling over in the bed. With a sigh, Vash set the tray on the side table. He watched his brother for a moment, battling irritation.

"You may want to eat it before it gets too cold," Vash said, trying to keep his tone neutral. "I'll be back later to check on your bandages."

Vash paused, hoping for some kind of response. Again, like most things with his brother, he was disappointed. He turned to head out of the room.

"Can't stay away from your pets, can you?"

"What?" Vash asked, turning around. He immediately clamped his mind shut.

Knives felt the effort and smirked. "What have you told them about me, Vash? Have you told them what a monster I am?"

"You're not a monster, Knives."

His smirk broadened. "You don't sound convinced, brother."

"If you would give them a chance, people can surprise you."

"You're still blinded by your love for humanity."

"And we're still having this argument," Vash sighed. "Enjoy your breakfast, Knives."

The door slammed shut behind Vash. Knives could feel his brother's contrition as he headed back downstairs. 'Fool,' Knives thought as he reached for the food.

* * *

"How about you come home with me after work, darling?" the burly man asked. His hand was inching towards the hem of Meryl's skirt, leaving no doubt what he had in mind.

Meryl whacked him hard with her tray. "How about keeping your hands to yourself, pal?" she bellowed. She didn't even bother to pick up the dirty plates as she stormed back to the kitchen.

"That's the third one today," Meryl muttered as slammed the door to the kitchen behind her. She caught the sympathetic yet amused gaze of the cook. "When are they going to take the hint?"

"Oh, about never," Lenny replied with a grin. "Ya gotta understand, Meryl, there's about five guys for every woman in this town, whether she be single or not. That makes for a lot of lonely men."

"Men are stupid," she said, her thoughts turning towards a certain lanky gunman. "Annoying stupid."

"We can be," Lenny agreed, "but some of us can control it better than others."

Meryl smiled. "I'll try to keep that in mind. So, is my next order up?"

"And steaming. I don't have to tell ya. . ."

"Yeah, yeah," Meryl interjected, gathering the plates up with care, "the plates are hot. Just keep them coming, Lenny."

"Will do," he called as she made her way back into the dining area.

* * *

Milly was relieved to find the lower part of the house empty. She doubted that Meryl would be back from work despite Doris' promise to take over for the last part of the evening shift. Her main worry had been Vash.

However, there was no sign of him. She quickly but quietly made her way up the stairs. Her luck held as she made her way into her room.

It was such a relief to shuck off her sandy clothes. She knew that she needed a shower. But the bed was tempting.

With a sigh, she shook her head and gathered the stuff needed for her shower. Just a quick scrub and then time for bed. It had been a long day.

"Milly, hey, you're home," Vash greeted as they met in the hallway. "When did you get in?"

"Just a few minutes ago."

"How's the new project?"

"A bust," Milly said, trying to keep her expression neutral. She hated lying. "The foreman's switching me back to the regular project in the morning."

"That's too bad."

"It'll all work out. Now I'm going want a shower."

Vash managed a weak grin. "Well, don't let me stop you. Good night, Milly."

"Night," she called, quickly making her to the bathroom.

Vash made his way back downstairs to the kitchen. He washed the cooking instruments he had used to make dinner in addition to the plates he and Knives had used. He soon had the kitchen back to rights. Chores finished, he took a seat at the table.

He lost track of time as he let his thoughts wander. Things with Knives were still difficult and didn't look like they would improve any time soon. He felt like he was going around in circles.

'When did I get so tired?' he thought, running both hands through his hair.

He heard the front door open. He lifted his head just in time to see Meryl enter the kitchen. She had hung her cloak up before she even noticed his presence.

"Oh, Vash, hi," she said. "Has Milly made it back?"

"Yeah, just a while ago. She was taken a shower last I saw her before going to bed."

"I see."

"How was work?"

"Okay. Doris was a little later than I expected, but she showed in the end. It will be nice to be back to normal shifts."

"Meryl, I…"

"It's late," she said, cutting him off. "I'm going to go to bed myself. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night," he said quietly. She didn't respond as she trudged up the stairs. He liked to think she didn't hear him.

* * *

With a good deal of effort, Knives sat up in the bed. He carefully swung his legs over the side and set his feet on the floor. The wood was cool and gritty under his feet but he wouldn't let himself be bothered by such petty details. He took a deep breath and stood.

'It won't be long now,' Knives thought. 'Not long at all.'


	6. Part 6: Surprise

Part 6: Surprise

Meryl had a bit of a lie-in the next morning as the stress of the past couple of days finally caught up with her. She rushed through her morning routine. Her hair was still damp as she entered the kitchen in her waitress uniform.

Milly was already eating, seemingly oblivious to her surroundings. Vash, however, had noticed her presence and waved with his spatula. Fighting the urge to grin, she made her way to coffee pot.

"Morning, Meryl," Milly greeted, seeing who Vash had waved to. "Sleep well?"

"I think I slept a little too well," Meryl admitted. She poured herself a rather generous cup of caffeine before sitting down at the table. "How's the new project?"

"It didn't work out. I'm going back to my regular work today. I should be home this afternoon."

"Any idea when you'll be home, Meryl?" Vash asked.

The short girl blinked. She wasn't surprised by the question, just its source. "Um, I don't know. Depends on how busy we are."

"Well, don't you worry, Meryl. Vash and I can handle dinner. Can't we, Vash?"

He forced himself to match Milly's sunny smile. "Sure."

Meryl noted the time and quickly finished her coffee. She carried her mug to the sink and headed toward the door.

"Hey, aren't you going to eat?" Vash called.

"I have to leave for work." She didn't bother to turn around as she grabbed her cloak.

That seemed to bug him. "You have to eat, Meryl."

She stopped, surprised for his stern tone. She walked back and snagged a piece of toast. "Happy?"

He suddenly seemed to tower over her. His blue eyes bore into her, making her want to step back from him. Then he softened. "It will do."

"Glad you're happy," but her retort was weak.

"Hey, any requests for dinner?" he asked as she walked away.

"Surprise me," she called over her shoulder.

Milly had to hide her smile. Vash shot her a look as if he guessed her thoughts. With a sigh, he sat down and began to eat his own breakfast.

* * *

Knives continued the silent treatment when Vash left a tray of food. Every attempt at conversation was met with stony glares. Vash tried to maintain a sunny smile as he promised to be back later.

As soon as his brother was gone, Knives began to eat. Within minutes he was done. He sat the tray aside and threw the covers back.

A quick mental search let him know that his brother was no longer in the house. Taking a deep breath, Knives stood up. He was pleased that there was none of the weakness present earlier.

His footsteps grew surer as he made his way across the room. He found his clothes in the closet. He laughed when he realized that the spiders had washed them.

Sensing that Vash was still away, he opened the door and left the bedroom. He was already thinking about the next part of his plan as he made his way downstairs. Perhaps if he had been paying attention, he wouldn't have been surprised.

* * *

"Nice job today."

Milly wiped sweat off her forehead as she turned to face the foreman. "Thanks, sir."

"I wish the men on my payroll worked half as hard as you do, Milly."

The tall girl giggled. "Gosh, sir, I'm just doing my job."

"Please, call me Ben," the foreman replied with a smile. "All this sir business makes me feel old."

"Okay, si—I mean Ben."

"See, it's not so hard. Now, go ahead and take the rest of the day off."

"But there's so much work left to do."

"It'll still be here tomorrow, Milly."

"Well, if you're sure."

Ben laughed. "I'm sure. Get outta here."

"Thanks." With a wave, she threw her shovel over her shoulder and began to head home.

* * *

Meryl gave the empty table a good scrub. There were few customers at the moments. Of those who were there, most were there for more than the food.

"Hey, doll, how about some refills?"

She gave the table an extra hard rub before turning to her customers. "Just a moment, sir," she said, hoping that her smile seemed somewhat genial.

Keeping a safe distance from the customers' hands, she set out their new drinks. She quickly gathered the empty glasses and rushed back to the kitchen. She could hear the men laughing, but she continued with her work. She had already bent two trays that day.

The manager came up to her as she cleared a newly vacant table. "Meryl, after you finish up here, why don't you head home?"

"I still have a few hours left on my shift."

"I know, but you've been working hard these past few days. I appreciate your willingness to cover for Anne. This is my way of thanking you."

Meryl hesitated. It was tempting to go home. But they needed money and she wouldn't get paid if she didn't work. "Thank you, but I'll finish out my shift."

"Meryl, I'm going to pay for the entire shift. Now, please, go home. Consider it an order if you must."

There was no way she was going to argue with that. She thanked the manager. She was actually smiling as she carried the dirty dishes to the kitchen.

* * *

Vash was actually whistling a happy tune as he headed home from the store. As soon as he had left the house, his spirits had lifted. The outing was just what he needed to help clear his head.

But the trip had another purpose. With Milly and Meryl working long hours, the girls had no time to shop. He realized that dinner was going to be an interesting proposition unless somebody bought groceries.

He bought enough to last them a few days. He would talk to Meryl about taking over the responsibility. It was the least he could do to help out.

His happy mood evaporated when he noticed the door of the house was ajar. Meryl suddenly cried out from inside, turning his blood to ice. He dropped the groceries on the porch as he raced inside.

He found Meryl in the kitchen. She was cradling Milly's head. The towel she had pressed against the tall girl's temple was slowly turning red.

Tears were welling in Meryl's violet eyes as she raised her head to face him. "Vash," she managed in a broken whisper.

"What happened?"

Meryl shook her head. "I don't know. I just found her like this."

"Knives," Vash growled. He ignored Meryl's call as he raced up the stairs. He threw the door open and stormed into his brother's room. He wasn't surprised to find it empty.

He quickly made his way back to the kitchen. Meryl seemed more composed. Any hints of tears were gone.

"She needs a doctor, Vash," Meryl said.

Vash glanced from the women to the door. "I have to go after him, Meryl."

"I know." She took a deep breath before looking at him again. "Just ask the doctor to come before you leave town."

"I'm sorry."

"This isn't your fault, Vash. Just come back." The tears threatened again. "Please."

"I'll try, Meryl."

And then he was gone.


	7. Part 7: Tribulation

Part 7: Tribulation

Meryl watched the doctor work from the doorway of Milly's room. He had stopped the bleeding from the gash on her temple shortly after the tall girl had regained consciousness. He had the wound cleaned and bandaged before he entertained any discussion of moving Milly to her room.

Milly had been unsteady on her feet. Yet, by some miracle, she and the short, elderly doctor managed to get her upstairs. He allowed Meryl to change Milly's clothes before completing the rest of his exam.

"Your friend is very lucky," he said, looking at Meryl over his shoulder. He waited a moment before he turned his gaze back to his patient. "You, my dear, are to take it easy. I don't want you out of this bed without assistance for the next day."

"But what about work?" Milly asked.

The doctor sighed. "We can talk about that toward the end of a week. Now, who will be staying with her?"

"I will," Meryl said without hesitation.

"But, Meryl, we'll . . ."

"It'll be fine, Milly," Meryl stated, cutting off Milly's protest.

"Well," the doctor said, closing his bag, "I will be back tomorrow afternoon to check on our patient. I want a report of good behavior, young lady."

"I will, sir."

Meryl nodded. "I'll see to it."

"Good. I will see you both tomorrow. I'll see myself out."

The two women listened to his footsteps fade away. Meryl closed the bedroom door. She leaned back against it as she studied her partner. The bandages stood out against her brown hair and the skin around them was already bruising.

"What really happened, Milly?"

"Mostly what I told the doctor. I got home early from work and was making a snack in the kitchen. Suddenly Mr. Vash's brother was there. He seemed surprised to see me.

"I told him that he shouldn't be out of bed, that he was still injured. I came up to him to get him back upstairs when he shoved me. I fell against the table and hit my head. I don't remember anything after that."

"I see," Meryl said quietly, frowning.

"Vash went after his brother again, didn't he?"

Meryl nodded, not daring to look at Milly.

"He'll be back again, Meryl."

"I know." Meryl gave herself a shake. When she faced Milly, there was a new determination in her eyes. "I'm going to send word to our employers and then start on dinner."

"I'm sorry that I've caused so much trouble."

"It's not your fault, Milly! You did nothing wrong. Now, you're going to rest up and get better just like the doctor said. You hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. Now you rest and I'll be back up with some soup in a bit."

Milly settled back against her pillow as Meryl headed downstairs. Meryl was good at hiding her emotions most of the time, but she was dealing with too much at the moment. Milly couldn't help but feel guilty that she had caused some of her friend's worry.

* * *

Vash stood, panting, as he surveyed the huge expanse of sand before him. He had wondered where his brother would go before this occurred to him. Of course Knives would come back for the guns. 

However, his brother was nowhere in sight. A quick scan showed his footprints all around before venturing off further into the desert. If Knives had come to look for their guns, he hadn't looked long.

And that puzzled Vash. The guns would have been covered by yarz and yarz of sands by the explosion. Who knew what condition they would be in?

Had Knives realized this and merely moved on? Or had Knives sensed his pursuit and had given up his search to put more distance between them? Had Knives been successful and merely found the weapons quickly?

Vash wished he knew.

* * *

Meryl pulled the old blanket tighter around her shoulders as she settled more comfortably on the porch step. Her eyes kept drifting to the horizon. She told herself that she was admiring the sunset, but she couldn't lie even to herself. 

She heard footsteps behind her. She turned just in time to see the foreman, Ben, exit the house. He didn't have the bouquet with him that he arrived with.

Meryl smiled, the first true happy emotion she had felt in a long time. "Thank you for being for so understanding. And for dropping by. It means a lot to Milly."

"Your friend's something special," but he almost said it to himself. He seemed to realized that he had spoken aloud and gave a sheepish smile. "Her job will be there as soon as the doctor clears her. Don't let her worry about that."

"I will."

Tipping his hat to her, he headed back towards town. Meryl forced herself to get up and go inside. She put the finishing touches on dinner and carried a tray upstairs to Milly.

The foreman's visit had definitely put her partner in better spirits. While the doctor had allowed her to move about unassisted, he had forbidden her from going downstairs. That effectively had confined Milly to her room, and Meryl thought that she was becoming a little stir-crazy.

"Oh, wow, everything smells so good, Meryl," Milly said, tearing herself from the window.

"Thanks, Milly," Meryl replied as she set the tray down on a table. "You eat and then straight to bed. I'll get the dishes in the morning."

"But, Meryl, I . . ."

"No buts," Meryl interjected. "The doctor will clear you in a few days but only if you follow his instructions. You don't want to be stuck up here forever, do you?"

Milly fervently shook her head. The action reminded Meryl of a small child and she had to fight the urge to laugh. "Good. I'll see in the morning."

"Night, Meryl!"

"Good night, Milly."

Shaking her head in amusement, Meryl shut the door behind her. Her light mood evaporated as she headed to her own room. She shut the door firmly behind her.

She eyed the stack of mail awaiting her on her small desk. She summoned her courage as she sat down. The mail was quickly divided into a single personal letter, two business correspondences from Bernadelli, and a stack of piles.

Meryl set aside the letter from mother to read later. She immediately opened the Bernadelli letter addressed to her. It informed her to stay in her present location and that her idea of a branch office was being considered. A check was enclosed, and Meryl prayed that Milly's letter contained the same.

With the security of the small Bernadelli check, she began to go through the bills. The return of Vash with his brother had put some strain on their finances, but it wasn't as much as she feared. With some extra belt-tightening she could probably make their money stretch until she and Milly were working again.

Meryl rose from her desk. The letter from her mother would have to wait another day. She went through the motions of her nightly routine and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

* * *

'So this is it,' Vash thought, sinking to his knees. 

He stared at the endless iles of sand. The wind was had picked up and erased his brother's footprints. There was no sign of Knives in sight.

Having no other choice, Vash tried to sense his brother. He really hadn't been expecting to feel him, but he still felt disappointment when he got no results. What Vash had in terms of power, Knives made up for in terms of skill. Vash would not be able to find his brother that way until Knives wanted to be found.

Vash sat back on his heels. He needed to make a decision. Should he continue his pursuit of Knives or go home until Knives wanted to be found?

If he continued his pursuit, he was almost doomed to failure. He had no clues as to where his brother might be. He would be merely wandering around in the desert and he was ill-equipped to do that beyond the next few days.

Home was definitely the more appealing option. He didn't know when he equated the word with the insurance girls, but he had. And he promised Meryl that he would try to come back.

Yet, it would leave Knives out here, allowing his brother to plot out his next nefarious plan. Knives' hatred for mankind still festered. Vash didn't want to think of what horrors he could still be capable of.

Vash felt his stomach tightened. Knives now knew about the girls and that Vash cared for them. They would be a perfect target for his brother. Once again, Vash realized that he was the one who had put the girls in danger.

He rose to his feet as his resolve firmed. He made his decision. The wind swirled sand around him as he resumed walking.


	8. Part 8: Home

Part 8: Home

The doctor told a happy Milly that she was cleared to return to work, although for light duty, the next day. The tall girl was practically bouncing on her bed as she thanked him again and again. The doctor laughed and then asked Meryl to see him out.

She was surprised by the request. However, she quickly agreed. She told Milly she would call when lunch was ready and followed the doctor out.

He stopped once they were in the kitchen. He studied her for a moment with a deep frown. Meryl wondered if she had done something wrong in her care of Milly. By the intensity of his frown, it must be some grave error.

"My dear, are you well?"

The question threw her. "Excuse me?"

"When did you get that cut on your hand?"

"About a week ago," she replied, looking down at the injury in spite of herself. She glanced up at the doctor. "Why?"

The doctor muttered something under his breath. He plopped his black bag on the kitchen table, the thud echoing in the quiet room. He rummaged through the bag still muttering under his breath. Finally, he pulled out a small, rattling bottle and put it in Meryl's hand.

She stared at it, turning it over for some kind of label. Finding none, she looked up at the doctor. "I don't understand. You just cleared Milly for work and she hasn't had a headache in days."

"Ms. Strife, they are vitamins," he replied. "They are for you."

"Me?"

"A minor cut like the one on your hand should have been healed or nearly healed by now. Since it is not, it tells me a great deal about your malnutrition."

"Malnutrition?"

"Eating poorly."

"I understand what the term means, doctor," Meryl snapped. She slammed the bottle of pills on the table next to his bag. "There is nothing wrong with my nutrition. Therefore, I have no need for vitamins."

"Don't let your pride make you foolish, Ms. Strife. You can't take care of your friends if you are unwell yourself."

He closed her hand over the bottle. "Consider a piece of free, friendly advice. Now, if your friend begins to experience strong headaches or any other problems, fetch me at once. Otherwise, I must bid you good day."

She watched the doctor as he left. Various thoughts warred in her head, but she decided that the doctor had a point. She tucked the bottle in her pocket before taking Milly her lunch.

Milly's happiness was contagious as the tall girl babbled about all the things she would do now that she had a clean bill of health. Meryl had to remind her friend that she still had to take it easy. But the reminder did nothing to dampen the other woman's spirit.

Leaving her friend to eat, Meryl went to her room. She hid the bottle of vitamins and retrieved the letter from her mother. It was a beautiful day outside. She would read it out on the porch.

She did not let herself think of the reason she was spending so much time outside or by windows. She settled down on the top step. As usual, her mother's letter was massive.

Meryl poured over the pages. Her father was doing well, still puttering around the house to keep busy. Her mother divided her time between her volunteer work and helping take care of her new granddaughter.

'So, Michael's wife has had the baby,' she thought. She wondered if the baby looked more like her brother or his wife. A wave of homesickness hit her.

She had been gone from home so long. She had missed her father's retirement party. She had missed Michael's wedding. Now she had missed the birth of her niece.

Her mother's letter went on to inform her of this person's wedding or another's recent promotion at work. One of her classmates had just had twins. Meryl could imagine her mother's envy of having such news to report about her long-absent daughter.

'Michael seems to be doing a fine job of making Mother proud,' she mused. 'Let him keep doing it.'

Her family never understood why she had joined the Bernadeli Insurance Society. It baffled them when she had given up her nice desk job to pursue Vash the Stampede. She doubted that she could ever explain it to them. She could hardly explain to herself.

Yet, she could regret the decision. If she hadn't taken this assignment, she wouldn't have found Vash. She couldn't imagine what her life would be without that meeting.

Returning to the present, she finished the rest of the letter. She smiled as her mother reminded her to be careful and to try to make a trip home soon. Meryl was still smiling as she carefully folded the letter and returned it to her pocket. She would have to write back soon.

She sat outside for a while longer. She enjoyed the sunshine as she let her thoughts wander as they will. As the sun started to set, she rose to go inside.

However, something in the distance caught her eye. She turned and watched for a moment. Sure enough it was approaching.

Meryl tried to suppress the flurry of hope in her chest as she stumbled down the porch steps. It was still approaching and she could tell it was a human figure. She gasped when she could make out the blond hair.

She was running before she knew that she had made the decision to do it. All that she could think of was that Vash was back. He had come back as he said he would try to.

Her eyes filled with tears. She could tell it was definitely him now. Her heart gave a funny beat when she saw his grin.

She didn't even slow. She literally collided into him. Before she could fall, he had his arms wrapped around her. She returned his vice-like embrace, whispering his name.

He murmured her name. They merely held each other for several moments. Then Vash laughed softly. "Miss me?"

Meryl loosened her grip just enough to pull back to see his face. Surely they were beyond hiding and veiled phrases now. "Of course I did."

He smiled and cupped her face. "I missed you, too."

She stood transfixed as his face lowered towards hers. She barely managed to close her eyes before he kissed her. She was stunned only for a moment. Then she returned it eagerly.

They stayed that way for quite some time.


	9. Part 9: Shattered

Part 9: Shattered

One year later. . . 

Meryl gave a contented sigh as a calloused hand caressed her side. She stubbornly kept her eyes closed. She was unwilling to give up on sleep just yet.

There was a chuckle and a shifting in the bed. Kisses trailed up her neck and along her jaw. Meryl leaned her head back but continued to keep her eyes closed, which garnered another chuckle.

"Wakey, wakey, Meryl," Vash whispered.

"Why?" she protested. "What time is it?"

He smiled against her skin. "It's early."

"Then why are you awake?"

"Couldn't sleep," Vash said, curling an arm around her. "Have other things on my mind."

Meryl giggled and finally opened her eyes. "Vash, is that really all you think about?"

"Only when I'm around you," he promised. He suddenly glared at her abdomen. "Hey, no kicking! I'm seducing your mother!"

She laughed and placed a hand on her stomach. The baby was definitely active. "Apparently someone has other things on their mind, too."

Vash's look of disappointment almost made her laugh again. She traced the edge of his face and gave him an affectionate smile. "But you know I may need some help washing my back while I shower."

"I'll race you there!"

After a brief but heated kiss, he was gone. A moment later she could hear the water running. Vash definitely didn't waste time.

Meryl didn't either.

* * *

She saw him off to work, reminding him that Milly would be joining them for dinner. Humming a tune, Meryl carried her coffee into her office. She had a few clients scheduled for this morning and wanted to review their claims before they arrived. 

The branch office she had set up for Bernadelli had been more successful than she had ever dreamed. She was the only agent for iles. However, there wasn't enough work to support Milly as well.

Thankfully, her partner happily accepted a permanent position on Ben's crew. Ben had been happy about that development as well. And if Meryl was reading everything correctly, it wouldn't be too long before Ben was offering a ring.

Meryl studied the ring on her own hand. She had become known around town as Mrs. Saverem, the surname that Vash had taken. Yet, because of Vash's circumstances, they couldn't be legally married, not without raising a lot of unanswerable questions. While part of her still longed for a proper church wedding, she realized that she had everything she truly wanted.

She worked through the morning. Most of the claims were simple and legitimate. Alvin Carruthers wasn't happy when she demanded a complete inventory of the contents of his barn, but she knew that the structure and its entire contents couldn't be worth what he was claiming.

After escorting Alvin out, she ate a quick lunch. She had some time before her two mid-afternoon appointments and decided to do some chores. While the doctor and Vash had had forbidden her from heavy lifting, she could still manage dusting and laundry. She was finished just as the next person arrived.

The two appointments were pretty easy. Mrs. Tate seemed to want to visit and quiz Meryl about Vash and their unborn child more than to discuss an upgrade to her policy. Meryl managed to get the older woman out before her temper flared. The last was claim for damage left from the last sandstorm.

She put the closed sign in the window and locked the outer door. She re-entered the house through the back door of her office. With all of her paperwork done, she was free from work until tomorrow morning.

Noting the time, she began to set the table for dinner. She set four places in case Milly decided to bring Ben along. Satisfied that the table was ready, she made sure that her homemade pudding had reached the right consistency. Then she began working on chopping some vegetables.

She felt rather than heard someone enter the kitchen. 'Vash and his games,' she thought. She finished chopping the last stalk of celery. "Well, you're home early," she said, turning around. Then she gasped.

Knives smiled. "Hello, spider."

* * *

Vash shouldered his shovel. A feeling of uneasiness had been nagging him all afternoon. At first he had contributed it to his usual worry about Meryl and the baby. Although she was only five months along, she was nearing term. However, the persistence of the feeling lead him to think it could be something more. 

He walked over to Ben, who was reviewing plans for the next stage of the irrigation project. The foreman looked up and smiled. "Hey, Vash. Needing something?"

"I thought I would cut out early today if that's okay with you."

Ben surveyed the worksite. "Yeah, we're about done for today. Say hi to Meryl for me."

"Why don't you say hi yourself and come to dinner tonight?" Then Vash said the magic words. "Milly will be there."

"Well, I just might."

"Good. See ya then." Vash was practically jogging as he left with a wave.

Ben shook his head. "Odd man."

* * *

"Knives, what are you doing here?" Meryl demanded. She kept a hand on the large chopping knife. What she wouldn't give for a derringer right now. 

"Did you and my brother actually think that I would merely disappear?" He eyed her swollen stomach with disgust. "That I would allow this atrocity to happen?"

"Get out of here. This has nothing to do with you."

"It has everything to do with me!" he roared. "How could he allow our superior blood to mix with yours? You creatures are barely capable of thought. This bastard mongrel is the gravest insult my brother could inflict on me!"

"This child has nothing to do with you, Knives! All your brother wants to do is live in peace. Why can't you stop hurting him? Why can't you just let him be?"

Understanding flared in his eyes. "It's you now, isn't it?"

"What?"

"I thought I had finished it by getting rid of that woman and her descendants. But it's you now. You're his tie to humanity. If I get rid of you, he can be free."

"Do you really think Vash will ever forgive you if you kill me?"

"Who said anything about killing you?"

Meryl wasn't a fool. She made a desperate slash with the knife, which Knives easily dodged. He grabbed her arm and twisted it savagely. Meryl cried out at the pain. Her fingers quickly went numb and the knife fell to the floor.

"How dare you attack me!" He backhanded her, sending her to the floor. Meryl saw stars but stubbornly held on to consciousness.

She scrambled for the knife. Just as her hand grabbed the blade, Knives slammed his foot down on her hand. She screamed as the knife bit into her palm and bones snapped.

Knives grabbed her hair and pulled Meryl to her feet. He gave her a disgusted look before throwing her against a wall. She was unconscious as she slid to the floor.

He became aware of his brother's approach. When he confronted Vash, it was going to be on his own terms. As of now, he was at a disadvantage. He scooped up Meryl and left.


	10. Part 10: Secrets

Part 10: Secrets

"Meryl?" Vash called, hoping that his voice sounded calm. He didn't want to alarm her if everything was okay. Yet, as the house remained silent, he was beginning to worry. "Meryl?"

His heart stopped as he entered the kitchen. Chopped vegetables were scattered across the counter and the contents on the shelf on the opposite wall were on the floor. But that wasn't the worst of it.

He prayed that blood on the knife on the floor didn't belong to Meryl. More blood was splattered on the far wall. A lone shoe rested on the floor.

Fighting tears, he picked up it. He had just bought Meryl the shoes when she had complained that the swelling of her feet caused her regular shoes to pinch. She had been so touched by the gesture.

"I'll get you back," he whispered. There was no doubt in his mind who had been responsible for this. And his brother was going to pay.

"Mr. Vash?" There was a gasp. "What happened?"

He turned to face Milly. The tall girl was carrying a covered dish, her contribution to the night's now cancelled dinner. When she glanced up at his face, she took a step back.

Vash tried to rein in his rage. Despite all they had seen, Milly and Meryl had never acted afraid of him. Until now.

"Where's Meryl?"

He clutched the shoe in his hand. "Knives has taken her."

"Knives? Why?"

"I don't care," Vash growled. "He's not getting away with this."

Milly suddenly shoved her dish at Vash. "Wait here. Don't leave until I get back."

"Why?" he demanded.

The tall girl shook her head. "Just wait, Mr. Vash, please." With that, she was gone.

* * *

"Hello?"

Ben frowned when he didn't receive a reply. He could have sworn that Vash had said that dinner was tonight. Had he missed up the time? Had Vash?

He made his way through the house, searching for any sign of Vash or his wife. He debated whether he should just go home and ask Vash about it tomorrow. Then he saw the man sitting at the table.

The lanky man wasn't dressed in his usual clothes. The leather and metal formed some kind of body armor. As a stark contrast, he held a small white shoe in his hand.

Ben's jaw dropped as he saw the rest of the kitchen. "My God, what happened?"

Vash was immediately on his feet in a defensive position. He appeared to notice Ben for the first time. Releasing a deep breath, he fell back into his chair.

"I'll explain later," Milly promised as she breezed past him. Ben opened his mouth to protest but she was already standing before the other man. "Thank you for waiting, Mr. Vash."

Vash eyed the package the tall girl carried. He hoped that this had been worth the wait. His entire body was screaming for him to go after Meryl.

He felt numb as he watched Milly clear one of Meryl's place settings. Would he ever have dinner with Meryl again? Vash shoved the depressing thought out of his mind. He instead focused on the package Milly was working on opening. For a moment, he forgot to breathe as familiar red fabric came into view.

"Milly, what is this?" he demanded.

The tall girl picked up the bundle of his old coat out of the box. With deliberate movements, she unfolded it. Inside were the two long Colt pistols.

"Where did you get these?" Vash tore his eyes from the guns to Milly. "How did you get them?"

"Remember the project that I had right after you got back. Well, there was no project. I borrowed a truck and went into the desert to find his cross. I also found these. I hope you didn't mind."

"No, Milly, I don't mind." He took the bundle from her hands. "Thank you."

The girl nodded. "You can have the cross, too, if you think you will need it."

"Keep it." He quickly donned the coat and holstered the guns. He pulled his glasses out of a pocket, finding them intact. His eyes seemed to glow as he put them on.

Ben took a step back. "My God, you're Vash the Stampede!"

Vash glanced at him, as if suddenly remembering that Ben was there. He shot a look at Milly. The tall girl nodded. Satisfied, he left, red coat billowing behind him.

Milly sat down in the chair he had left. For the longest time, she just stared at the table. Ben wondered if she had forgotten about him.

"Is he really Vash the Stampede?" he asked, trying to break the silence.

"Yes," Milly said. She looked up at him. "I guess I have a lot of explaining to do."

"It would help." Ben glanced around the kitchen. "Perhaps we should go somewhere else."

"Oh, I can't leave Meryl's kitchen this way. What would she say when she got back home!" She leapt from her seat, becoming a whirl wind of movement.

Ben watched her, dumbstruck. Where was Meryl? Why did Milly have guns belonging to Vash the Stampede? And why was she suddenly cleaning a kitchen?

"Milly, I'll help you clean but you have to tell what's going on."

"Okay," she said, carrying a stack of dishes to the sink. "You know that I worked for the Bernadelli Insurance Society with Meryl. Our last assignment was to make contact with Vash the Stampede."

They cleaned as she talked. Occasionally he would ask her a question. Otherwise he remained silent. He quickly learned about Nicholas D. Wolfwood, the Gung-ho Guns, and Vash's psychotic brother Knives. While he was sure that she was leaving out details, it was still a lot of information to process.

"And Knives has kidnapped Meryl?"

Milly nodded. "Mr. Vash has gone after him to get her back."

"When were you going to tell me about all this, Milly? You could have easily been the target instead of Meryl." His blood froze at the thought. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

She had graced to look embarrassed. "I have been thinking about it for a long time, but I didn't know what to do. I couldn't tell you everything because I would be telling other people's secrets. And I couldn't tell you just part of it because you would know that I wasn't telling everything. I didn't want to lie to you."

He wondered if it was more than that. Obviously the priest, Wolfwood, had been very important to her. After all, she had lied to everyone so she could go into the desert to get his cross back. What exactly had gone on between them? Was she still mourning, mourning over someone who was more than a friend?

Ben forced the thoughts to the back of his mind. "Milly, it's getting late and we've done all we can for tonight. Please, let me walk you home."

She agreed. He waited on the porch as she locked up the house. They were silent until they arrived at her door. After exchanging brief good nights, she went inside and he started towards home. Chief among his thoughts was whether he should tell Milly his secret.


	11. Part 11: Searching

Part 11: Searching

It was easy to trace his brother's movement from the house to the desert. Vash tried to ignore the drops of blood that ran beside his brother's footprints, but each one was a stab to his heart. 'Please, Meryl, be okay.'

Yet as distressing as the blood was, he was more alarmed when they disappeared. Did it mean that Meryl's wound finally clotted? Or did it mean something much worse? He pushed to keep going so he couldn't dwell on such thoughts.

Eventually, the footprints disappeared in the desert as well. He stopped. In desperation, he reached out for Knives. As he expected, he felt no trace of his brother.

He did, however, feel someone else.

It was faint but he knew it well. If the baby was alive, Meryl had to be, too. With a relieved sigh, he closed his eyes and concentrated. The contact was to the southwest, deeper into the desert.

'I'm coming,' he sent, along with comfort and reassurance. He wished that he could communicate with Meryl as well. But at least he knew that she was safe.

For now, anyway, came the unbidden thought.

It spurred him to get moving. Despite the protest of his tired muscle, he began to pick up the pace. He had to get to them and soon before Knives did whatever he was planning to do.

* * *

Milly frowned as Ben once again moved to avoid her. She tried to keep her usual happy expression on as she went to one of the crew leaders with her question. As she walked back to her spot, she risked a glance in Ben's direction.

The reaction was the same. Every time she caught had his eye that day he would quickly break the contact. He was avoiding her. He was doing it deliberately.

But why?

It had to be about the night before. She thought he understood when she said that she couldn't tell him because it meant telling other people's secrets. She had hoped that he knew that she would do anything to avoid lying to him.

Remembering the events of the previous night, she realized that even then he had been distant. He had been so quiet as they walked to her house. She thought that he was still overwhelmed by what she had told him.

Was that it? Was he avoiding her because of what he now knew? Because he knew of the danger associated with her?

"Hey, Milly, you can stop!"

She glanced at Joe, who was giving her a weird look. Taking a deep breath, she looked down at her work. The stone she was to split in half was now rumble at her feet.

* * *

Ben was glad that day was finally over. Milly had given him one last glance before heading home. The expression on her face tore at his heart.

"Okay, what's going on?" Joe demanded, looking from Milly's slumped shoulders to Ben's pained gaze. "You've been avoiding her all day."

Ben shook his head. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Fine," Joe spat, "you guys are fighting and it's none of my business. But, Ben, please, fix it. That girl is the best thing to happen to you in a long, long time. Try to remember that."

He didn't need remembering. He knew that Milly was good, far too good, for him. He knew he was screwing things up between them.

Joe waited for some response from his friend. Finding none, he shook his head. "I'll see you in the morning."

God, there was going to be a tomorrow, Ben realized. Another day of trying to distance himself from Milly and trying not to see her confusion and heartache. He didn't think he could take it.

With a plan quickly forming in his head, he trotted after Joe. "Hey, wait up!"

His friend stopped. Ben quickly caught up with him. "What do you want?"

"I need a favor."

Joe eyed him dubiously. "What kind of favor?"

"Do you think you can run things here for a couple of days?"

"Why, so you can avoid Milly? I don't think so, Ben."

"No," Ben said quickly. "I need to do something before I can patch things up with her. Please, Joe, I need you to do this."

"You swear that you're not doing to avoid Milly."

"I swear." He realized that Joe was giving in.

"Just for a few days, Ben. That's it."

"Thanks, man," Ben said, cuffing Joe on the shoulder. "That should be enough."

Joe watched Ben walk away, wondering what his friend had planned. Suddenly something occurred to him. "Hey, Ben, what do I tell Milly?"

* * *

Milly was one of the first to arrive at work the next morning. In spite of herself, she glanced around for Ben. Instead, she found Joe in the foreman's usual spot.

"Hey, Milly," the man greeted, looking up from the project plans. "Need something?"

She hesitated for a moment. "Is Ben here?"

"Nope, he's gone to see about some new equipment. He'll be back in a couple of days."

"Okay." Mechanically, she left and began to work. Her body went through the motions of lifting the hammer and digging with the shovel. Her mind was a million iles away.

She was startled when someone touched her shoulder. It was Joe. "Hey, you okay?"

"Of course," she replied. She reached up to wipe the sweat from her face and found more moisture than she should. She didn't need a mirror to know her eyes were red.

"You sure?" Joe pressed.

Milly shook her head. "Actually, I think I should go home."

Joe squeezed her shoulder. "Go ahead. See you back tomorrow."

Once back in her house, she surrendered to the tears. First Nicholas, now Ben. Why did she keep losing the men she loved right after she found them?


	12. Part 12: Finding

Part 12: Finding

* * *

Author's Note: If you are easily made queasy, you may want to skip the first section. 

Disclaimer: Also, although I have some medical training, I am not offering any medical advice. If you have a fracture or another serious injury, seek proper medical attention.

* * *

"Oh," Meryl moaned as she opened her eyes. The white light was glaring, making her pounding head hurt even worse. She kept blinking her eyes to try to clear her blurry vision. She was trying to figure out what was wrong with her as she tried to push herself off the floor. 

As soon as she pushed against her left hand, she screamed. She collapsed to the floor, cradling the appendage against her chest. For a moment, she was lost to the pain.

Eventually it faded to a burning throb. She managed to push herself up with her good hand. Her vision was clear as she slowly pulled her left hand from her chest.

It was a mangled sea of angry reds and purples. Her fingers were contorted into odd angles from the swollen mess of her hand. She carefully turned it over and almost vomited at the sight of a broken end of bone jutting from her palm. Not able to look at it anymore, she cradled it back against her chest.

She knew the compound fracture was dangerous. The longer the bone was exposed, the more likely the wound would become infected. It could possibly be infected already.

Taking slow, deep breaths, she shifted forward. It was too hard to put her left elbow between her knees with her gravid belly. Instead, she turned and pressed her left arm against the wall behind her with the weight of her body.

"Okay, Meryl. One, two, three."

On three, she grabbed her twisted fingers and jerked. Another scream was ripped from her as pain flared through her arm. With a shudder, she turned her side and threw up.

It seemed like it was hours before she dared to look to see if it worked. She forced herself to keep her eyes opened as she turned the injured hand over. She released a breath she didn't realize she was holding when she saw that bone was no longer visible.

She leaned her head against the wall. Now that her hand was taken care of for now, she had to focus on her other problems. Like what Knives had in store for her.

* * *

Vash stopped as he felt pain. Although the link between him and the baby was weak, he had no trouble receiving the echo of intense pain. He tried to probe further but couldn't sense anything that made sense. 

Again, he tried to find Meryl. He knew it was a desperate ploy. He sighed when he sensed nothing of his wife's mind.

He did catch a hint of Knives. While his brother was happy, it wasn't the euphoria Vash imagined he would feel if he was torturing Meryl. That gave Vash some hope.

As he reached the top of the next dune, he saw a glint of metal in the distance. He resumed running, ignoring the pain in his legs. The object became to take shape as he got closer.

It was an old metal building. It was probably once a storage depot for one of the caravans. It had been abandoned long ago and was little more than a shack.

So, this is where Knives had been hiding. Vash made a wide loop around the building, looking for any possible entrances. He wasn't surprised that the building only had one entrance.

He pushed his sunglasses higher on his nose. There was no hesitation as he unholstered the pistols. It was time to confront his brother for the last time.

* * *

Knives paused in his work as he felt his brother's mind brush against his. As quickly as it appeared, it was gone. With a smile, he returned to his work. 

He couldn't sense much in the brief contact. Yet, he knew his brother must be close. Probably intent on rescuing the woman.

What was it about these humans that fascinated Vash so much? How could he allow himself to mingle with such lower being? How could he have fathered a child with one?

'No, that is not a child,' Knives thought with disgust. Whatever the creature growing in that spider's womb was, it was barely more than an animal. Vash had gone too far by mixing their superior blood with a human.

Remembering the woman, he left the room. He walked leisurely down the hallway and paused outside of the woman's room. He smiled when he heard movement inside.

'Good, the spider's finally awake.'

He threw the door opened, letting it slam open against the wall. The woman whirled around at the noise. However, she faced him defiantly. Her only sign of fear was the trembling arm shielding her swollen abdomen.

"My brother is on his way," he informed her as he strolled into the room.

She blinked tears, whispering his brother's name. It seemed to give her hope. He would have none of that.

He jerked her to her feet. The force on her arm nearly dislocated it. He smirked as the rebellious look in her eyes was replaced with fear.

"As I said, my brother is coming for you," Knives stated, his tone almost conversational as he mercilessly dragged Meryl out of the room. "I'm going to make sure you're ready for his arrival."

Meryl's blood ran cold as Knives began to laugh.

* * *

Ben frowned as the town came into view. He had spent the last few years trying to forget it and the events that transpired here. But the past seemed to be unwilling to let go of him. 

He drove the old truck down the main street. A few people recognized him as he drove by but he ignored them. This was not a social visit.

Soon he was through the main part of town and heading to the outskirts. He took a left and then parked the truck. As he got out, he realized that house looked exactly the same as when he left it.

A woman appeared on the porch. She wiped a hand on her apron before using it to shield her eyes. Her jaw dropped as she recognized the man before her.

"Ben?" she called. She slowly walked down the steps. "Ben, is that you?"

He walked forward to meet her. "Yes, Arlene, it's me."

"What are you doing here?" She glanced from him to the truck and then back. She gave him a hopeful smile. "Are you home for good?"

"No," he said, keeping his voice even. "We need to talk. Let's go inside."

Her face went blank at that statement. Wordlessly, she turned and went back inside. With a sigh, he followed her back into his own house.


	13. Part 13: Confrontations

Part 13: Confrontations

Arlene ushered Ben into the kitchen and offered him a drink. He declined as he sat down at the small kitchen table. He also turned down her offer for something to eat.

"This is not a social visit, Arlene," he said.

She sat down across from him. "Why are you here, Ben?"

He reached inside his coat and pulled out a roll of papers. He pushed it toward her. A pen soon joined the papers.

She stared at the papers for a moment. "What is this?"

"You know what it is," Ben said. "Just sign them."

"I thought you were going to give it a chance," she said, finally looking up at him.

"It's been two years, Arlene."

"I've done what you've asked of me, Ben. I've worked so hard to get you back. This isn't fair."

"Fair? It wasn't fair for me to find you screwing one of the Connelly boys in our bed."

"It was a moment of weakness, Ben."

"You had been doing it for months," Ben scoffed, "as many people were willing to tell me."

"I've changed, if you would just give me a chance to prove it." She appeared to be pleading with him, but he knew it was all a ploy.

"You haven't changed, Arlene. I know about the stream of men still that come in and out of this house."

"It gets cold out here in the desert at night."

"And what was the excuse for the Connelly boy?"

All traces of pleading were gone. "You're a bastard, Ben Jackson."

"Then you should be glad to get rid of me, Arlene. Sign the papers. You'll get the house, but the support payments will stop. You've already moved on. It's time I do the same."

"You've found someone else?"

"That's really none of your business."

She studied him for a moment. Then she surprised him. She picked up the pen and began signing.

* * *

Vash paused just inside the doorway for a moment, allowing his eyes to adjust from the bright desert sun to the dimmer light of the facility. Seeing no henchmen, he holstered the guns. But he kept his hands near them.

The interior was cool, at least compared to the desert. But he was sweating under the coat and body armor. He could feel the perspiration sliding down his back.

He kept his step light as he made his way inside. He mentally searched for the baby and felt its presence somewhere just further to his left. He began to move that way.

He found them in the third room. Meryl was strapped to a metal chair. Her head lolled on her shoulder, signaling that she was unconscious.

He searched for signs of injuries. A bruise marred her right cheek. Her lower lip was split. But the sight of her mangled left hand stopped his breath. It barely resembled a hand. It was swollen with the skin discolored with deep purple bruises. The fingers were contracted into odd angles.

It was a serious injury. The baby as far as he could tell was okay but he wasn't a doctor. They both need medical attention and soon.

"Not happy with what I did to your pet spider, brother?"

"What have you done to her?" Vash growled.

Knives laughed, stepping from behind a partial wall Vash hadn't noticed earlier. "Nothing permanent, I think. Though that hand is looking pretty bad."

"She has nothing to do with this, Knives. This is between you and me."

"But you keep bringing these spiders into it."

"What?"

Knives strolled over to Meryl, stroking her hair. Vash stepped forward get his hands off of her but stopped when Knives twisted his fingers in her hair. A savage yank on Meryl's hair and accompanying groan made Vash step back.

"You keep running to these weak creatures," Knives said, locking eyes with Vash. "Your affection for them kept you blinded to their dark nature. They're mindless and destructive. They always will be."

"You're wrong."

"Am I?"

"Yes. If my affection blinds me to their dark side, your hatred blinds you to their strengths. They have built a civilization in the endless desert."

"You call this civilization!"

"And they can love."

"Love," Knives scoffed. "Yes, you carry the scars of their love in your flesh."

He glanced down at Meryl, pulling her head back to look at her face. "We are superior to these creatures and yet you prefer their company to mine. Why is that?"

"You killed Rem."

"Ah, yes, that stupid woman. I had almost forgotten her name." He kept his gaze on Meryl. "Does this creature remind you of Rem?"

"What?"

Knives turned to look at his brother. "Does this spider remind you of Rem? Has she become your new tie to humanity? Is this the new tie to be severed?"

"Leave her alone, Knives," Vash ordered, drawing his guns.

"Are you going to shoot me, brother?" Knives demanded. "Are you going to shoot me yet again?"

"If I have to."

"You can't kill, Vash. You can't kill your own brother."

"I have killed, brother." Vash pulled the hammers back on the guns. The simple clicks echoed in the room. "Or have you forgotten that you had your henchmen drive me to it?"

"You don't have it in you," Knives scoffed.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Vash countered.

"Some day, you'll thank me for this." Knives moved his hand, beginning to twist Meryl's head.

Without hesitation, Vash squeezed the triggers. The guns roared, the noise building with the echoes. Yet, despite the sound, he heard Knives hit the ground.

For a moment, all was still. The echo of the gunfire faded. Soon the only sound in the room was Meryl's gentle breathing.

"I'm sorry," Vash whispered. Tears streamed down his face as he holstered the guns. He prayed that this would be the last time he would ever have to use them.


	14. Part 14: Reunions

Part 14: Reunions

Milly gave the floor an extra hard scrub with the brush. Her mother had always used cleaning as an outlet for strong emotions and with a large family, there was always something to clean. Facing a lonely weekend, Milly had taken her example.

So she had cleaned. When she had finished normal cleaning, like mopping and dusting, she had moved on to cleaning curtains and washing windows. Those tasks were now complete. She had finished beating the carpets and was now scrubbing all the floors by hand. She planned to wax them next.

It was physical work. It gave her something to do. It helped keep her mind off things.

'As well as could be expected,' she amended, dipping her brush into the soapy water.

She couldn't stop worrying about Meryl and the baby. She had visited them right after Vash had brought them back. While the doctor assured her and Vash that they both were okay, she wished that her friend would hurry up and stay awake long enough to talk to her.

She wondered if she should throw a party when Meryl was well. She would invite some of Meryl's old friends from the diner. She would also invite some of the guys from the construction company.

Milly suddenly growled in frustration.

Her mind wouldn't shut off. No matter how hard she pushed her body, her mind just kept going. And no matter what she thought about, her thoughts inevitably turned to him.

She watched the water drip onto floor. She absently wondered what could be leaking before she realized that she was crying. She threw the brush down in disgust.

"What's wrong with you?" she cried, ashamed that she was crying over a man who obviously didn't want her. She was angry that he could just leave and not offer any kind of explanation. She still felt guilty that she was betraying her priest's memory.

Milly buried her face in her hands. Her sobs echoed in the quiet house, reminding her of how alone she was. She cried even harder.

She didn't know how long she wept. She eventually became aware of a knocking at her door. She rose shakily to her feet, wiping at her eyes as she went to the door.

She opened the door, only to want to close it again. She blinked and blinked again to make sure she wasn't seeing things. But it seemed real enough.

"Hello, Milly," Ben greeted.

* * *

It was warm. And soft. So different from that other place.

She gave a contented sigh and scooted closer to the source of the warmth. But her left hand was so heavy. She tried to dislodge it with a gentle tug but to no avail.

With a huff, Meryl opened her eyes and searched for her left hand. It was in a cast. Vash's long hand covered the top of it as he slept on the edge of the bed with his head by her hip.

It all came back to her.

Knives attacking her in the kitchen. Announcing that Vash was coming for her. That he had a surprise planned for his brother.

The tugging of her hand woke up Vash. He sat up instantly, searching the room for danger. He relaxed when he found only her.

She wanted to cry. In the year they had together, he had learned to relax. Knives had managed to take all of that back.

'Damn you, Knives,' she thought bitterly, blinking back tears.

"Meryl, honey, are you okay?" He gently gathered her into his arms. "Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?"

She buried her face into his shoulder, relishing the contact. "I'm okay, Vash. I'm all right."

He heaved a sigh of relief before pressing a kiss into her hair. "You really had me worried for a minute there."

They simply held each other. She took comfort in his heart beat as it sounded under her ear. He was grateful that he had her once again after being reminded of how easily she could be taken away.

Eventually, she leaned back, making Vash loosen his hold. She put her good hand between them and rested it on her abdomen. She studied it for a moment before looking up at him. "What did the doctor say?"

He covered her abdomen with one of his hands. "Perfectly fine. Should be ready to make his or her appearance in the world any day now."

"Thank goodness," she whispered.

He squeezed the hand on her abdomen. "I know."

"And my hand?" she murmured.

"Most of the bones were broken," he began, "and at least one had punctured the skin. He gave you some medicine to fight off any possible infection and then set the bones. He said that once the cast was off, with plenty of exercise you should be able to use it normally."

She peered up at his face. She noted the new lines of strain around his eyes. What had the battle cost him?

"And Knives?" she forced herself to ask.

"Won't bother us anymore," he answered quietly.

"Oh, Vash." She buried her head against his shoulder so she didn't have to face the pain in his eyes.

"It's okay, Meryl." But his voice sounded hollow to his own ears.

"You shouldn't have had to make that choice," she continued. "Despite everything he had done, he was your brother. Why do these things keep happening to you! You don't deserve this, Vash! You don't!"

He held as she cried the tears he no longer could.

* * *

Milly thought about shutting the door in his face. Her traitorous hand moved to close it before she thought better of it. He struck his foot out, stopping its closure

"I guess I owe you an explanation," he said.

"Oh, you don't owe me anything," she replied. "Though it was nice of you to drop by. I'll see you at work on Monday."

She went to close the door but he stopped her. "Milly, I know I have no right to ask anything of you."

"You're right. You don't."

"But I beg you to hear me out," he interjected. "I want a chance to explain, please."

She left him at the door and headed inside. He debated for a moment if it was an invitation to come in. He had to admit that this was new ground with Milly.

"Close the door," she called. "And mind the floor. It's still wet."

He did as she asked.

He found her in the den. Milly was seated in the chair, forcing him to sit away from her on the couch. He offered her the flowers. She took and laid them in her lap.

"I heard that Vash and Meryl are back," he began. She nodded. "How are Meryl and the baby?"

"They're fine."

"That's good news." He paused for a moment. "And Vash's brother?"

"He won't be back to hurt anyone again," she said quietly.

"Oh." He wondered that meant. However, he doubted he would get an explanation.

They fell into silence. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She kept her eyes on the flowers in her lap.

"You said you owe me an explanation," she said after a while, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, I did." He ran a hand nervously through his hair. "You gave me a lot to think about the night you told me everything."

"I guess I did."

"It made me so mad to think that you had put yourself in such danger again and again. It also bothered me that you had kept things that important from me. But I understand your reasoning," he interjected, cutting off a potential outburst.

"It also made me realized that I had been less than honest with you," he admitted.

She jerked her head up, the flowers on her lap quickly forgotten. "What?"

"Milly, until yesterday, I was still legally married."

"Married!"

"We've been separated for the past two years. I actually left to get away from her and moved here. I kept sending her the papers but she refused to sign them."

He sighed. "I realized that night that I had to be honest with you. So, I left to go see her. I got her to sign the papers. I'm now a free man."

"That's the only reason why you left?"

"Yes. Why else would I leave?"

Milly seemed to shrink into herself. "I thought you wanted to get away from me."

"No!" He knelt in front of her, taking her hand. "Milly, I'm so sorry. That was never my intention. I felt like such a hypocrite that I couldn't be around you like usual until I was free."

"You could have explained," she said quietly. "I thought that there was something wrong with me."

"Milly, love, there is nothing wrong with you. And I'm sorry that I hurt you."

She glanced back down at the flowers. But she kept her hand in his. He took that as a small victory.

"Why did you separate?" she asked.

"Huh?"

"Why did you separate from your wife?"

"She was cheating on me. Had been for a while I later learned."

"That's horrible."

"That's all in the past. It is, Milly. I can have a future now," he declared, "with you."

"I don't know if I can," she said, wiping away a tear. His heart dropped to his feet. "It's too quick, Ben."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "I can do slow, Milly. As much time as you need."

She finally met his gaze. "Do you mean that?"

"Absolutely," he replied with a smile. He felt like king of the world when she returned it. "Care to seal it with a kiss?"

She laughed and then bent toward him.


	15. Epilogue: Peace

Epilogue: Peace

Four years later. . .

"Eden, slow down! Give Nicky and Christopher a chance to catch up."

The little girl with dark blonde pigtails paused to find the two younger boys far behind her. She then glanced at the porch. "Okay, Mom."

Shaking her head, Meryl sat down on the steps. Her daughter indeed wanted for the boys to catch up. When they finally reached her, she resumed the game of tag at a slower pace.

She glanced up with a smile when Vash touched her shoulder. She squeezed his hand as he sat down behind her. His lanky body surrounded her, shielding her from the cool air of the evening.

"Still at it, I see," he said. "I told you that a nap was a bad idea. Look at all the energy they have."

"Oh, I don't know. You didn't seem to be complaining about the free time earlier."

He leaned forward and nuzzled her ear. "No, you'll never hear me complain about that."

She laughed and leaned back against him. They watched the children as they switched from tag to hide-and-seek. It was a perfect evening.

"Mommy!" Christopher cried. He quickly abandoned the game and ran towards a figure approaching the house. "You're here! You're here!"

Milly scooped her son up, smothering his face with kisses. "Ready to go home?"

"Can Nicky come?"

"Not tonight, sweetie." She placed him on her hip and made her way toward the porch. "How was he?"

"No problem at all," Meryl said.

"Unlike our two hellions," Vash added, earning a swatch from his wife.

Ben laughed as he joined Milly. "Well, they are the spawn of the Humanoid Typhoon."

"Very funny," Vash grumbled good-naturedly.

"Thanks again for watching Christopher," Milly said.

"Anytime," Meryl replied.

"We'll repay the favor soon," Ben said. "See you at work, Vash."

"See ya. Bye, Milly, Christopher."

The little boy waved as his parents turned to go. He yelled goodbye to Nicky and Eden. The two only stopped play just long enough to yell it back.

Chuckling at their antics, Vash snuggled closer to Meryl. Sometimes he couldn't believe that he wasn't a fugitive anymore, that he had Meryl, that he had a family. At long last, he had found peace.

"We're really lucky, aren't we?" Meryl murmured.

He wrapped his arms around her middle. "Yes, Meryl, we are."


End file.
